Mr. Thornton begins by sharing his personal story of growing up with a mother who sustained a traumatic brain injury and had chronic emotional difficulties. He describes how his mother’s suffering helped develop within him a pastor’s heart for hurting people and their families. He goes on to describe what God’s countercultural values entail when it comes to interacting with and serving those affected by disability: 1) positions don’t matter; 2) servanthood is a way of life; 3) every need is an opportunity to love; and 4) no one is marginalized. Christian witness is demonstrated by living out the values of Christ as we “lift up the downtrodden.”

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